Planter.



No. V648,876. Patented May l, |900. s. T. mcKmGHT.

PLANTER.

lApplcation led Oct. 7, 1899.)

'.No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet uuml to@ fd, Cnam/i654 /Z Patented May I,|900. S. T. MCKNIGHT.

PLANTER.

Alplicatioxzl led Oct. 7, 1B99.\

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

@Rhmann ard @1v/5PZ UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

SQUIRE 'l. MCKNGIIT, 0F MINGOJMISSOURI, ASSIGNOR Cljr ONl-'lllIRD-'lOl.E."lll`t CLARENCE ROBERTS, OF SAME PLACE.

P LANTER;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNd 648,876, dated May 1,1900. Application filed October '7, 1899. `Serial No. 732,888. (Nomodel.)

ing at Mingo, in the county' of Stoddard'aud State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Planters, of-

which the following is a specification.-

My invention' relates to improvements in I planters, and pertains to amechanism whichis more particularly adaptecLfor planting corn, though itmay be used for plant-ing other cereals withoutdeparting from the spiritof my invention. y V

In the accompan ying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a planterembodying my invention, the top of the hopper being removed. Fig. 2is atransverse sectional view taken through the center of 4the Vhopper andthe feeding-cylinder. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of thefeeding-cylinder. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective vie'w of thefeed-cylinder. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal 'section taken on'the line ofthe journal of the shifting-lever Q, saidlever being shown in a verticalposition; Fig. 6 shows three transversesectional views on the dottedlines 1, 2, and 3,

' respectively, of Fig. 4. Fi'gf7 is an enlarged diagrammatical View ofthe feed-cylinder, the same being shown with its surface'sprcad out.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents the side beams of the frameof themachine, and B is a transverse block 'or beam having its end connected to the inner side of the side beams A and constructed, as willbe hereinafter described, to form a support for.

the hopper C and also a bottom for the hopper in which lthefeed-cylinder D revolves.

The hopper C extends-transverse the machine and is divided into aplurality of vertical compartments E for a purpose to be presentlydescribed. The lower end of this hopp'er is preferably provided withoppo-V sitely-entending boards F, one of which has its outer edge hingedto theadjacent edge of one of the beams B and its opposite edge adaptedto be held by a latch or other mechanical securing device G.

Extending across the front end of the fram/e and having its endjournaled therein is a driving-shaft Il, carrying a drive-Wheel I, saidshaft I-I having at one end a sprocket-wheel J.

Passing transversely the frame and havingI its ends journaled in theside bars-A directly under the hopper is a shaft K, said shaft havingsecured4 to one end a sprocket-wheel L, in a line with the sprocket Jupon the front shaft. Passing around these'sprockets-and operativelyconncctipg them is a sprocketchain M'of any desxredconstruet-ion. Thesprocket-,wheels J and L are preferably of the saine size, whereby whenthe driving-shaft makes one revolution; the rear transverse shaft K iscaused to make one complete revolution. This rear transverse shaft K maybe termed the feed-cylinder. shaft, and situated upon this shaft is thefeed-cylinder D, before referred to. This cylinder' D is elongat-ed andis loose upon t'he shaft, Awhereby it may have'an endwise movementindependent of the said shaft for a purpose which will now be explained.The inner side f the sprocket L is provided with one member-N of aclutch, and the adjacent end of the feed-cylinder G is provided with a.cooperating clutch member P, whereby when the cylinder is moved in onedirection the clutch member will engagefor rotating the cylinderand whenthe `cylinder is moved endwise in the opposite'drection the clutchmembers are carried out of operative connection, thus permitting themachine to move without operating the feedcylinder. The endwisemovementof the feedcylinder is effected through the medium of al leverQ, which 'is journaled upon the hoppersupport B, its inner end turned toform a fork a for engagement with a groove b in the feedcylinder D. Theouter end of this lever is cylinder D, which extends across the machineand under the hopper. This feed-cylinder is provided with threecircularly-arranged series of feed apertures or openings d, the saidapertures or openings d being situated, re-

spectively, under the several compartments of the hopper, and the seriesof apertures will correspond in number to the number of com partments inthe hopper. These series will bc numbered, respectively, l, 2, and 3, asindicated in Fig. 4, and the series 1 is provided with threefeeding-apertures d, whereby the grain will be fed at every twenty-fourinches. The second series is provided 'with four apertures, whereby thegrain will be fed at every eighteen inches, and the third series ofapertures is provided with live feeding-openings,

.whereby the grain' is fed at everyffourteen inches. By means of thisconstruction it will be seen that the operator can vplant the seed nearor far apart, according to the compartment of the hopper into which theseed is placed. The seed being received by the apertures, the number ofseeds fed will be regulated according to the size of the apertures, andthis may 'vary according to the kind of seed being planted. 'lhe supportB is cut out under the feed-cylinder, as illustrated in Fig. 5, andinclined inward to the center, as illustrated, where an outlet-opening eis provided, said opening being in communication with a seed-spout f,lto which is .attached the ordinary furrow-opener g. From 'thisdescription it willv be noted that no matter which series offeeding-apertures is in opera#A tion the lseed is delivered to theinclined bottom S, and owing to the incline thereof the seeds areconveyed to the outlet-Opening thereof. ,i

-For the purpose of `covering up the dropped f seed I provide the diskcoverers V, which are journaled upon the outer ends of thebars T. Theinner'ends of these bars are united to the side beams A by means ofbolts c'.

` lNhile I have described my invention as especially intended forplanting corn' and similar cereals, itis equally as well adapted forplanting cotton-seed. In the latter event the feed-cylinder here shownwill be removed from the shaft K and another substituted therefor, whichwill be a duplicate thereof,

except that only one series of holes will be provided and that at thecenter thereof, and there will preferably be nine holes, which will'receive from three to five seed each and drop them eight inches apart.I propose to furnish each machine with an additional feedcylinder withone row of feed-openings, as

just described.

By means of a planter'as herein described the operator is enabled tofeed the seed at various distances apart,according to the hopper orcompartmentinto which the seed is placed, the' same being simple `andefficient in operation.

The above construction in addition to enabling me to plant seed atvarious distances apart, according to the particular compartment inwhich the seed are placed, also enables me to feed practicallyafcontinuous stream of seed of anykind, thus d rilling the seed. intothe ground, by having all ol-l the compartments filled at one time.

Y Having thus described my inventionyliirt I claim, and desire to secureby Letterslatent, isy y1. A planter comprising longitudinal beams, adriving-shaft journaled between the forward ends of the beams andcarrying a supporting-wheel intermediate its ends, and a drivin g-gearad jacent one end the reof,a transversely-arrangedl block B having itsends connected to the said longitudinal bealnspthe said block having atransverse feed-cylinderreeeivingrecessfa shaft havingits ends j ournaled in the longitudinal pieces of t-he frame above the said block, afeed-cylinder situatedloosely upon the shaft, and within-the said grooveof the block, the block having a converging recess communicating at its.di verged end with the said feed-cylinder recess and'haviug anexit-opening at its converged end, a hopper situated above thefeed-cylinder, the shaft carrying a rigid gear outside of the hopper, asprocket-chain operatively connecting the gear upon the driving-wheel,and the gear of the feed-cylinder shaft, the

ends of the cylinder adjacent the shaft-gear and the adjacent face ofthegear having an engaging clutch, the opposite end of the-feedcylinderprojectingbeyond the hoppergand provided with a peripheral groove,andashifting-lever operatively engaging the said groove for moving thecylinder longitudinally upon the shaft for throwingv it in and out ofopcra tion, v substantially as described.

2. A planter comprising longitudinal beams, a' driving-shaft jou rnaledbetween the forward ends thereof and lcarrying a supporting-wheel, oneend of the said shaft provided with a driving gear J, a transverselyarranged block B havinga feed-cylinder groove, a hopper situated overthe said groove,a feedcylinder situated within the groovebelowthe lowerend of the hopper, a shaft K having its ends journaledin thelongitudinal beams and f passing loosely 'through the said feed-cylin'der, a gear L rigid upon the said shaft K, a sprocket-chain M connectingthe gears J and L, the feed-cylinder and gear havingengaging shoulderconstituting a clutch, the feed'- cylinder longitudinally movable uponthe shaft K, the opposite end of the cylinder from the said clutchprojecting outside of the hopper, and an .operating member engaging theprojecting end of the cylinder for moving it endwise, substantially asand for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

sQUIRE T. MeKNIGn'n Witnesses;

LOUIS L. CLUEB, EDWARD L. HAWK.

IIO

